With all the recent sombre news, coupled with the feeling that communities in cities are experiencing particular oppression, it is indeed heartening to hear the following words in the Queen’s speech: “My government will make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.”

In times of national trouble, equality issues often take a back seat, but this seems set to change. It’s astonishing to think that during the Queen’s reign of nearly seven decades, homosexuality has been decriminalised and gay and lesbian couples can now legally marry. A trend that has been recently reflected in Ivor Mountbatten (the Queen’s cousin) coming out as openly gay and the Queen’s grandson Prince William scoring another first by appearing on the front cover of a gay magazine.

Stonewall, the LGBT rights group, though pleased that LGBT rights have been given the royal seal of approval, are naturally concerned that the discrimination faced by trans people will also be addressed by the government and are said to be seeking clarification on the matter.